Tulsa 70, SMU 66

Saturday, January 27th 2007, 10:22 pm

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Freshman point guard Mark Hill made four free throws in the final 31 seconds as Tulsa held off a late rally by Southern Methodist for a 70-66 victory on Saturday night.

The Hurricane (13-6, 3-3 Conference USA) snapped a three-game conference losing streak.

Hill, starting in place of injured Brett McDade, had 16 points and eight assists against three turnovers, while Rod Earls led Tulsa with 19 points, making four of 10 3-point shots. Freshman Ben Uzoh added 11 points and six rebounds.

Tulsa opened a 49-35 lead early in the second half before a 9-0 run by SMU pulled the Mustangs (12-8, 1-5 C-USA) within 49-44.

Tulsa responded by taking the ball right at 7-foot-1 SMU center Bamba Fall on three consecutive possessions, as Hill and Earls scored on drives and Uzoh was fouled by Fall and converted both free throws.

Tulsa was comfortably ahead until the final minute, when SMU's Donatas Rackauskas scored on a conventional 3-point play with 21 seconds left to make it 67-63.

After Tulsas Charles Ramsdell made one of two free throws, Rackauskas drained a long 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds remaining to pull the Ponies within 68-66. But Hill made two free throws with 4.2 remaining to seal the win.

Ike Ofoegbu led SMU with 19 points, followed by Rackauskas and Brian Epps with 14 points each. The Mustangs outshot Tulsa 46 percent to 41 percent and outrebounded the Hurricane 32-29 but had 19 turnovers to 13 for TU.

Prior to the contest, former coach Nolan Richardson was inducted into the TU Hall of Fame. Richardson compiled a 119-37 record at TU from 1980-85 and led Tulsa to the NIT championship in 1980-81, his first season.